History and HeritagePassageway past the prison cells

The traditional owners of the land on which the Courthouse buildings are situated are the Wardandi people of the Noongar band.

This site also marks the birth of Busselton as a key community for the growth of the region. Few places in Busselton played as important a role in the town's development as the Complex. It operated as the centre of government administration in the region; control of shipping (customs); law and order and telecommunications. It served as a government facility for approximately 120 years and as an arts centre for 20 years.

The Courthouse Arts Complex ceased its function as police and judicial service in 1976.

It was vested to the Shire of Busselton in its entirety in 1982.  In 1978 it was registered by the National Trust as a site of cultural heritage significance.  The Heritage Council listed the site on the National register in 1983 and it 1993 attained a permanent entry as a site of heritage places. Extensive restoration work was carried out between 1982 and 1985. Further restoration and development of the Complex occurred again in 2005 - 2006.

The building is a particularly distinctive building within Busselton.

The age of the building provides evidence of the town's maturity and relative importance to the State.  It is highly visible near the end of Queen Street and formed a gateway statement to the town in its early history.  Built in 1856 the buildings are clear examples of those erected in the colonial period.  The buildings are asscociated with two of the State's outstanding architects, Richard Roach Jewell and George Temple Polle, the latter's work being of national siginifance.

Only a limited number of colonial era government buildings exist in the State, and even fewer with such a range of functions as the Busselton Complex.Bondstore Jarrah Block Floor

Due to its range of past functions it has great importance to the lives of local residents. The role of law and order reassured the town's citizens. As the Post Office and as a land agency the complex made the place one of the most important points of social interaction. As a centre for cultural activity the building maintained its value as a place in terms of its social amenity. Its value as a historic landmark has been recognised in the past 20 years through its retention as a heritage listed site.

Statement of Significance - "The place, in the context of Western Australia, has exceptional cultural heritage significance.  It is the oldest surviving building complexes within the Busselton regional and one of Busselton town's most prominent historic places.' Ian Moyneux 1979 for national Trust Classification

The Complex has existed as a community arts centre since 1984 under various management structures with both commercial and community arts activities however independent from the Shire of Busselton beyond leases and occupancy agreements.  In November 2003 current lease and occupancy agreements ceased.  As part of the Shire of Busselton's strategic planning for the development of a cultural precinct, it re-established the Courthouse Arts Centre as a Shire operated and managed facility.